


Relative Complications

by der_tanzer



Series: Between Carson and King Harbor [5]
Category: Emergency!, Riptide (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-07-16
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:26:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/der_tanzer/pseuds/der_tanzer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chet finds out about Johnny, while Johnny finds out about Murray's family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Relative Complications

Relative Complications

“No, I understand what you’re saying,” Roy said patiently, buttoning his uniform shirt. Johnny was sitting on the bench in front of him, bare-chested, tying his shoes. He didn’t seem to want to look up yet so Roy went on. “But you know what the kids are going to think. You haven’t missed a Christmas with the family since nineteen seventy-one, and Janie’s still not really over the idea that she has to share.”

“Yeah, I know, but it’s been six months,” Johnny said, suddenly defensive. “The family wants to meet me and I want to go. I’m sorry if it messes things up for you guys, but I thought I was supposed to have a life of my own. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“It is. And I’m glad you’re happy, I’m glad the family wants to know you…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I’m just being selfish, John. I’m sorry. You have to do what’s right for the two of you.”

“I feel selfish,” Johnny confessed. “I even suggested they come out here but it doesn’t make sense. With all the aunts and uncles and cousins, there are dozens of them and only one of me.”

“So, I’ll meet them some other time. And you’re only gone for, what, three days?”

“Yeah, we’ll fly out on Thursday morning and come home Saturday night. I’ll be on shift Sunday.”

“You’ll be exhausted and Christmas weekend is always bad. Tree fires and everything.”

“I’ll sleep on the plane. It’ll be great.” He stood up and pulled on his undershirt and uniform blouse. As he did up the buttons, no one noticed Chet enter the locker room. “I’m really just thrilled they want to meet me at all. I don’t know how this usually works, but I had the idea meeting the parents came later. Is six months soon?”

“Depends on geography, I guess. If they were here in town, you probably would have met them sooner. Halfway across the country—six months is about right for a serious relationship. Is it pretty serious?”

“I guess so. You can’t get plane tickets for Christmas in December, so they must’ve been planning on me going for a while.”

“What’s this I hear?” Chet interrupted. “Gage has a serious girlfriend? And you’re meeting the family? When were you gonna tell us, pal? Before the kids are born, I hope.”

Johnny blushed, scared and not knowing where to even start.

“Back off, Chet,” Roy said simply.

“No, come on, this is big news. You’ve been seeing this girl for six months and you’ve never even mentioned it? I thought we were friends.”

“You did?” Johnny asked with a grin. Then he saw that Chet appeared to be genuinely hurt. “Look, it’s no big deal. I just really like this one and meeting you guys never helps. Anyway, you always try to steal my dates.”

“So you don’t want to risk her meeting me before the wedding?” he teased.

“Hey, I never said I was getting married.”

“I don’t know. Meeting the parents sounds pretty big. You might not be planning on getting married, but I bet she is.” He hesitated, then added, “God knows why.”

“That just shows how much you know,” Johnny said with an honest smirk. “You know what, Chet? The day you can accurately predict what I’m going to do will be the day after I’m buried.”

“Hey, fine. You don’t want us to meet her, we won’t meet her. No need to get huffy.” He went over to his locker and opened the door, making a big production out of choosing his shirt from the wide selection of two hanging inside. Johnny snickered, Roy punched him lightly on the shoulder, and then the alarm sounded. Chet snatched a shirt and scrambled into it, knowing he’d be written up for not having his uniform pants and shoes on, but still hoping his turnout would allow him to skate by.

That it didn’t was the brightest point of Johnny’s day.

***

“Man, that was close, wasn’t it?” Johnny sighed, resting his head against the back of the seat.

“Yeah, I thought we were going to lose that woman for sure.”

“No, not the fire. Well, that, too. But I meant this morning, with Kelly. I’m never gonna get him off my back now.”

“There are worse things,” Roy said mildly, thinking of the family home devastated by fire, the young mother in ICU with third degree burns, not knowing who would take care of her children.  
“Yeah, I know,” Johnny conceded. “But I can only solve my own problems, you know? And Chet—he’s like a dog with a bone. He’ll never stop bugging me until he meets my ‘girlfriend’ or I convince him that it’s over. I’m just so sick of lying. Even to him.”

“I can see how you would be. But you can’t tell him, and if you try to pass off some girl as your big relationship, it’s only going to get more complicated.”

“I know. That’s the spot I’m already in, though. I’m lying to everyone and now it’s just gonna get worse.”

“Well, getting away for Christmas will probably help. I assume Murray’s family knows…?”

“Yeah. Truth is, that’s one of the big attractions. I won’t see anyone I know and he’s out to all of his friends and family. So the only thing I have to worry about is looking like an idiot in front of all those geniuses.”

“That’s a big concern. But you’re pretty enough that I think they’ll understand.”

“Oh, ha-ha,” Johnny muttered, sneering rather charmingly without meaning to.

“Just see if you can drop by Wednesday night and see the kids. They’d really appreciate it.”

“I will. If Jane promises not to keep Murray in her room all night playing that game. Assuming he’s invited, that is.”

“Sure, why wouldn’t he be?”

“The kids just don’t seem all that crazy about him, is all. He—well, he’s worried that he’s forcing himself on your family. Like maybe he’s not really wanted.”

“If it comes up again, you tell him not to worry about that. It’s an adjustment for the kids, sure, but they’ll get used to it. Jane was starting to warm up to him on Thanksgiving. And Thom really got a kick out of Murray helping him recreate the Battle of First Manassas with toy soldiers and Transformers.”

“I think everyone enjoyed that. You know, if Stonewall Jackson _had_ had Megatron, it could have changed the entire course of the war.”

“Maybe,” Roy shrugged. “But it’s my understanding that Starscream usually screws it up, anyway.”

“Is that right?” Johnny said thoughtfully. “It’s a wonder Murray won, then, having him take over for McClellan.”

“Good always triumphs over evil, I guess. One way or another.”

***

Chet was hanging around the kitchen when they got back, pretending to clear the morning paper off the table but really just waiting to torment Johnny some more. He got everyone involved in trying to coax information out of the wary paramedic, and lunch might have been late if Captain Stanley hadn’t put an end to it by sending Chet and Marco to do knot drills. It was Johnny’s turn to cook but Roy helped out, setting the table and making the salad while Johnny put together a lasagna. It was one of his most reliable dishes and he wasn’t in the mood for any more teasing.

Also, squeezing the tomatoes into sauce was very therapeutic. Especially when he imagined curly hair and mustaches on them. But the peace didn’t last.

“So, Gage has a girlfriend,” Marco said as they passed the lasagna around the table. “How come you haven’t brought her to the barbecues, Johnny? I thought I heard you telling Cap’s wife at Halloween that you weren’t seeing anyone.”

“Hey, that’s right,” Cap said. “You weren’t fibbing to us, were you, Gage?”

“She must have a really terrific personality,” Chet grinned.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Johnny asked, choosing not to answer the captain.

“It means she must be butt ugly or you’d be showing her off. So she must have an outstanding personality. Although I suppose she could just be really good in bed.”

Johnny forced himself to put his fork down before anyone got hurt.

“Some things are personal,” he said through clenched teeth. A series of looks went around the table and the next time Chet opened his mouth, Cap told him to close it. There was a brief silence, and then Stoker said the engine needed touching up. That was followed by a round of good natured complaints that no one really meant. Johnny picked up his fork and poked at his food until everyone else was finished.

***

The guys all went to bed at nine, worn out by a busy day, and Johnny undressed with them like always. Then he told Roy he wanted one more glass of water and went to the kitchen in his t-shirt and boxers. He got the water, drank half, and then put a quarter in the payphone. He knew Murray would still be awake, working late as he always did when Johnny was on shift, hoping to hear from him. What he didn’t know was that the Phantom was also lurking about.

“Hey, Brown Eyes,” Johnny said, his voice soft and teasing. “You were awfully quick to answer the phone. Expecting me?” He laughed at whatever the other person said, leaning against the counter, completely at ease. Chet was amazed. There was none of the posturing and thickly layered charm that Johnny always displayed when snowing some hapless female. He had time to think that he’d seen his friend undressed a thousand times but this was the first time he’d ever really seen him naked. Then Johnny was speaking again.

“I only have a minute. I’m supposed to be in bed, and so are you. Yeah, I know, work, work, work. Go to bed, baby. I love you.” He listened a minute, laughed again, and said goodnight. He was still smiling when he turned around and saw Chet standing in the doorway.

Their eyes met, Johnny’s startled but defiant, and Chet’s wide with shock. Johnny finished drinking his water before he spoke.

“Well? Something you wanna say?”

Chet grabbed his arm and propelled him clear across the kitchen, shoving him down on the battered leather sofa.

“Hey, what’s the big idea?” Johnny hissed, suddenly afraid. He knew he could call on Roy for help, but if worse came to worst, it would still be two against four.

Chet dropped onto the sofa beside him but didn’t touch him again.

“It’s not a girl, is it?” he asked without preamble.

“What are you talking about?” Johnny shot back, but it stabbed his heart to deny Murray seconds after hearing his voice.

“The girlfriend I’ve been ragging you about all day. It’s not a girl. It’s—jeez, Gage. It’s that guy from the hospital, isn’t it? That geek we dug out of the hotel.”

Johnny stared at him, his face hard with hate, throat working desperately to get something out.

“Don’t you call him that,” was the best he could come up with, and then realized he might as well have signed a confession.

“My God, I was right? You’re not even gonna deny it?”

“Would lying to you do any good right now?” he sighed, a ball of cold dread settling in his stomach.

“I just can’t believe it.” Chet sat back and ran his hands through his hair, and then seemed to realize they were both in their underwear. He reddened a little and pulled his knees together. “All this time… How long have I known you, Johnny? Fifteen, twenty years?”

“Since Engine 10.” They hadn’t exactly been friends back then, working in the same station but on different shifts. Then they met up again at fifty-one and over the years they’d grown closer. Johnny had genuinely believed that Chet Kelly liked him, and seeing the fearful distaste in his eyes now was a nasty shock. He tried to tell himself that this was why he’d never told them, that he knew it would be this way, but it still hurt more than he would ever admit.

“Engine 10,” Chet repeated. “They closed that station five years ago.”

“I know.”

They sat there in silence for a moment, sizing each other up, and then Chet shook his head.

“All this time and we never guessed you were…” He trailed off, which seemed to be a new habit with him, and Johnny bristled.

“I was _what_ , Chet? What am I?”

“Well, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m a firefighter and a paramedic and a better friend than you deserve. How many times have I saved your life, Chet? Huh? How often have I dragged your ass out of the fire and patched you up again? What the hell does it matter about—,” he lowered his voice then and was vaguely ashamed of it, “about Murray, or anything else?”

“It matters because—because you’re one of us. The way we live and work together, we’re like family. We’re brothers. And you’ve been lying to us.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve seen how you treat _brothers_ who are different. You guys don’t give me a lot of choice.” He paused and rubbed his hand over his face, took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. “So what are you gonna do now? Wake up the guys for a lynching? Tell Cap to send me home? Or do you want to go straight to the Chief Engineer?”

“I guess not,” he said slowly. “Just tell me one thing. Does Roy know?”

“Why, are you gonna go after him next?”

“Hey, I got nothing against Roy. But he’s your best friend, so if you’re lying to him, too…”

“Roy doesn’t have any problem with me,” he said shortly.

“If you say so.”

“Look, Chet, just tell me what your deal is. Blackmail? Suspension? Or do you really want to burn me?”

“Nothing, John. No deal. It wouldn’t be that much fun for me, getting you thrown out of the department. There’s no way they’d give me another pigeon as entertaining as you.”

“So that’s it? You’re gonna give me all this grief and then just go to bed?”

“I don’t know. I guess. But we’re not square, okay? I have to think about this.”

Johnny did a double take, sure he’d misunderstood until he saw the baffled hurt on Chet’s face. For a second he felt a stab of pity for his friend, this old-fashioned, emotionally stunted, immature man who apparently couldn’t understand something as simple as love. He wondered if there were hidden depths to Chet Kelly’s personality, a secret that would let all this make sense, but this wasn’t the time to try to figure it out.

“Hey, Johnny,” Roy called quietly from the doorway. “You planning on sleeping tonight?”

“Yeah, I was just letting Chet bore me first,” he called back brightly. “To make sure I fell asleep as quick as possible.”

“It’s not my fault you can’t appreciate a good story,” Chet shrugged, getting up off the sofa. The three of them went to the dorm and found their beds in the dark. Everyone else was already asleep.

***

Roy’s kids were more accepting of Murray when he showed up the night before Christmas Eve with presents. Jane actually hugged him when he gave her an advance copy of Hawker: _Discovery_ , which would let her fly the most authentic space shuttle replica available, and Thom begged for the chance to fight Second Manassas once he’d unwrapped Grimlock, leader of the Dinobots. Murray promised they’d do that next time and Thom, easily distracted with a plate of cookies, agreed.

They stayed late enough for Johnny to put the kids to bed and then went out to King Harbor for early Christmas Eve with Nick and Cody. It was a long night, but the flight to Chicago was long, too, and they both slept on the plane.

Murray’s family couldn’t have been more welcoming, but they didn’t know how to make Johnny feel like he belonged. Lately, he didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere.

***

“You look like you’ve been awake for days,” Roy said as he entered the locker room. Johnny was slumped down on the bench, buttoning his shirt with fingers that seemed to have forgotten how. He thought about telling Roy his big secret of the moment, that Chet was holding a gun to his head and the hammer could drop at any time, and then didn’t. The last thing he needed was more people in the station arguing about his sexuality.

“Probably because I have been. I didn’t get one whole night’s sleep the entire weekend. Those people…”

“What about them?”

“They can keep a party going longer than anyone I’ve ever encountered. And there’re so _many_ of them.”

“So you didn’t have a good time?”

“No, I did,” he said slowly. “They’re real nice. His parents, especially. His dad, Mark, took me aside once and said how much happier Murray’s been since we got together. I guess they were pretty scared for him after Ted died. But I don’t think I really—” He was watching the door as he spoke and cut his words off cleanly when it swung open. Stoker and Lopez walked in, deep in conversation, and Kelly followed a minute later. He asked Johnny how his Christmas was, and didn’t press for details when Johnny said it was good.

It wasn’t until they’d completed their first call, a child in diabetic shock, and were headed back from the hospital that Roy asked what he’d been about to say before. Why wasn’t he thrilled with the warm welcome from Murray’s family?

“Because I’m an idiot,” Johnny said flatly.

“What’d you do?”

“Nothing. I mean _nothing_. I couldn’t follow their conversation, I haven’t read any of the same books—I couldn’t even guess what they were doing in charades. They were all real nice about it, but honestly, Roy, I’ve never felt so stupid in all my life.”

“So—wait a minute. You’re not actually telling me that you spent three days with those ‘really nice people’ and didn’t even talk to them. Are you?”

“No, I talked to them. They asked me a lot of questions about my job and growing up on the reservation—of course they’d read all the books those miserable anthropologists wrote about us—and they seemed interested. But talking about firefighting and basic paramedic work with a group of scholars and scientists and _doctors_ —I just know I didn’t make that great an impression. It was like the guy who mows the lawn sitting in on a botany lecture.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound like a lot of fun,” Roy agreed. “Joanne’s dad used to have a way of making me feel about two inches tall. The whole time we were dating, he never let me have the first or last word on anything.”

“Really? What happened? I mean, how did you get him to respect you?”

“The second Thanksgiving after we were married, his mother—Jo’s grandma—had a heart attack at the dinner table. I wasn’t a paramedic yet, but I had enough basic training to save her life. They’ve been treating me like a hero ever since, and Grandma’s been dead for six years now.”

“Lucky,” John muttered. “That wouldn’t work for me. I bet if Murray’s mom choked on a crescent roll, it’d turn out one of the uncles at the table was the inventor of the modern tracheotomy.”

“That bad, huh?”

“You know what it’s like. I take him to your house to play with your kid and he invented her favorite game. These Bozinskys, man, they’re hard core. And it’s not like I want to compete with him. I don’t. It’s just that—well, I couldn’t if I wanted to. It’s like they’re all building space ships and I’m still trying to evolve an opposable thumb.”

“But you and Murray still have a good time together, right? You don’t feel like that all the time, do you?”

“I didn’t. But now that I’ve met everyone and I know where he comes from—I can’t believe I don’t bore him out of his skull.”

“So why would he want to be with you?” Roy asked reasonably.

“I don’t know. Maybe he gets off on the big dumb fireman thing. Or maybe he wanted a virgin to play with. Hell, for all I know, he _is_ bored to death and is too nice to risk hurting my feelings.”

“Murray doesn’t seem like that kind of guy to me. If you want my opinion…” He paused before going on, giving Johnny a chance to say that he did. “I think he loves you very much and you’re just insecure. Take it from me—you’re not that big or dumb, and virgins are overrated. Get his folks out here sometime, on your turf, and you’ll probably see a difference.”

“Yeah? You think so?” he said, brightening up a little.

“Sure. And maybe you can save a life while they’re here, just to be sure.”

“Thanks,” Johnny muttered, his eyes no longer so bright.

“You know, people wouldn’t give you such a hard time if it wasn’t so easy,” Roy said mildly.

“You’re kind of a lousy friend, you know that?”

“I’m exactly as good a friend as you deserve.”

“Doesn’t say much for me, does it?” But he was grinning, suddenly cheerful again. He knew what he wanted to say to Murray, and he wasn’t afraid.

***

Two days after Christmas, Johnny spent the night with Murray in King Harbor. They were still eating the leftovers from Cody’s barbecued turkey, and there was Scrabble after supper. Murray won, of course, but Johnny didn’t mind. At least he didn’t get the lowest score this time.

After the game, the two couples said goodnight and retired to their own ends of the boat. Johnny teased Murray good-naturedly, as he always did, about the cramped room and narrow cot, but he still liked it better in many ways than having Murray stay at his place. He was always worried about the neighbors asking questions, or one of his co-workers dropping by or even calling on the phone and hearing something they shouldn’t. On the boat, he felt safely anonymous. The neighbors here didn’t pay any attention to him, Nick and Cody passed no judgment, and his friends didn’t know where he was. It was worth the uncomfortable bed to have all that.

Johnny sat down on the cot to untie his shoes and Murray took the opportunity to squirm into his lap.

“Hey, what’s this about?” Johnny laughed, toeing his shoes off without untying them after all.

“You’ve been looking down all day. What’s going on, hon?”

That made him laugh again, the sweet concern Murray demonstrated so freely with endearments that Johnny had never received from a man. But no one would have questioned Murray using them on a girlfriend, and Johnny had never objected to hearing them from one, so he decided to get used to it.

“Nothing. Now that I’m alone with you, there’s nothing wrong at all.” He eased Murray down on his back and pinned him, kissing him hungrily. Murray stretched his arms up over his head, offering himself as a sacrifice to his lover’s fickle moods. He knew there was still a problem they needed to discuss, but apparently Johnny needed this first.

He undressed Murray with brisk efficiency, barely breaking the kiss, and then sat back on his heels to pull off his own clothes. Murray sat up and caressed him tenderly, running gentle hands over Johnny’s smooth chest and down his sides, smiling at him as he shivered. As soon as Johnny got his pants off, Murray was pulling him down on top of himself, offering and demanding at the same time. Johnny pulled Murray’s legs up around his hips and pressed into the warmth of his soft belly. For a few minutes they moved together, slick skin sliding, erections bumping lightly at first, then rubbing more firmly as the heat between them increased. He held Murray tightly, burying one hand in his hair and kissing him fiercely, stealing his breath and frying his senses.

Murray clung to him blindly, matching his rhythm and begging for more. He loved to feel Johnny’s passion in its rawest form, uninfluenced and uninstructed, his superior strength tempered only by his inexperience. That slight hesitation, coupled with his remarkably soft skin and hairless body, gave him an air of vulnerability no matter what they were doing or who was on top. That vulnerable tinge kept Murray from being on top very often, but it didn’t inhibit him from thrashing and clawing when he was supposed to be submissive.

Spurred by the fingernails digging into his hips and back, Johnny thrust harder, faster, felt Murray come and swallowed his frantic moans. Murray tried to push him, wanting to give him more, but his own orgasm had reduced the friction between them too much. Johnny dropped his head to Murray’s shoulder, panting for relief, and Murray raised one hand to cradle the back of his skull.

“Lie back,” he whispered. “Let me help.”

Johnny pulled away with a frustrated groan and flopped down on his back as Murray shifted to make room. He rose up on one elbow and kissed Johnny roughly. Sliding down the length of his body, Murray kissed and tasted every inch of him, licking up clean sweat and the bitter salt of his own spend. Johnny’s hands fisted in his hair, pushing him lower. Then Murray’s warm, supple mouth enveloped him and Johnny’s frustration turned at once to gasping need. He yanked Murray’s hair sharply, thrusting down his throat, and Murray swallowed as he came.

Johnny collapsed, slowly untangling his sweaty fingers from Murray’s hair and running his hands over his face. Murray grabbed a sheet and pulled it over them both as he lay down on Johnny’s chest. Strong arms enfolded him and he sighed happily.

“You okay, baby?”

“Sure, I’m fine,” Murray said, nuzzling his throat. “So can we talk about what’s wrong with you, now?”

“Nothing’s wrong with me. Why? Did I do something?”

“Not so far as I’m concerned. But you’re unhappy about something and you have been for a while.”

“Now you sound like Roy.” But even as he said it, he realized that Roy had been right. And talking about it had helped.

“Roy’s a smart guy,” Murray said, as if reading his mind. “So tell me what’s going on before I fall asleep.”

“You just said it. Roy’s a smart guy. You’re a smart guy. Everyone you know is smart.”

“Yes, so?”

“So, I’m not. I mean, I knew you were better than me the day we met, but now that I’ve spent time with your family—Murray, what are you even doing with me? How can you stand it?”

“Wait, what?” Murray said, sitting up and reaching for his glasses. Johnny felt even smaller under those wise owl eyes. “What do you mean, you knew I was better than you? The way I remember it, I was trapped in a collapsing building and you saved my life.”

“Well, sure, but look. You’re the smartest patient I’ve ever encountered. Staying calm, asking intelligent questions, thinking of other people first—you were amazing. I’ve never seen anyone trapped that long, with those kinds of injuries, stay so coherent. I was in love with you from the very beginning, but I’m not that special.”

“You’re not?” Murray grinned, settling back down on his chest. “You don’t think you have to be a little bit smart to have saved my life? I’m no doctor—well, I am—but I don’t think anyone could have done better. You were so confident, I never doubted for an minute that you could do it if you just had time.”

“I was confident,” Johnny agreed. “But that’s not really intelligence, it’s training. I was just doing what I’ve done hundreds of times before. Like, Nick isn’t exactly a rocket scientist but he can fly a helicopter as good as anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s smart enough to be really well trained, but that doesn’t mean he could survive a weekend making small talk with your family.”

“Actually, he has. He and Cody both get along with them really well.”

“Of course they do,” he sighed. “But they’re not dating you. It doesn’t matter what your mom thinks of them.”

“My mom loves you.”

“She does not.”

“Yes, she does.” Murray turned his head and kissed Johnny softly, trying not to laugh. “You saved my life, remember? You also listened to all of Dad’s stories, and Uncle Michael’s bragging, and traded practical jokes with Baba. Mama thinks you walk on water. She also wants your soufflé recipe.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I am not. Everyone thought you were great. Johnny, this is absurd. Why would I want to date a man whom I didn’t respect intellectually? I’ve introduced you to my family, I go out in public with you, and I let you talk to my friends when I’m not around—obviously I’m not ashamed of you. So where are these doubts coming from? I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know. Don’t you get bored trying to have intelligent conversations with me? It’s not like I contribute anything.”

“Sure you do. That’s why I want to talk to you all the time. You have a different perspective, a whole different way of thinking, and it opens my eyes to things I miss on my own. Johnny, I love you. That’s based on a lot of things and I don’t know how to explain them anymore than you can explain why you love me. Right?”

“Murray, I know why I love you, and it’s mostly because you’re smart.”

“Really? It’s not the food and sex?”

“I think you have to be smart to be as good as you are at that.”

“Then you must be pretty smart, too, because you’re a good cook,” Murray said, smiling slyly.

“What, that’s it? I’m a good _cook_?” he cried in mock outrage, tickling Murray as he tried to squirm away. “You think I’m smart enough to _cook_?”

Murray almost escaped and Johnny flipped him onto his back, getting out of the way in the same motion. Before Murray knew what was happening, he was pinned under the heavier body, but the tickling went on. He struggled feebly, made weak by laughter, and Johnny kissed him until he couldn’t breathe.

“How much do I have to study to be good at _this_?”

“You’re great. Just don’t tickle,” Murray pleaded. “Please, no more tickling.”

Johnny kissed him once more before moving aside again. He gathered Murray’s slender frame in his arms and spooned comfortably against his back. When Murray’s fingers wrapped around his forearms, his happiness was complete.

“Feel better now, Johnny?”

“Me? I’m great. I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too,” Murray sighed contentedly. He didn’t understand how his lover’s moods changed so quickly, or what he might have said to suddenly turn things around. It was impossible to figure out how Johnny’s mind worked, and that was part of the fun. Other people might be more brilliant, but Murray had never met anyone as interesting or full of surprises. Whatever happened, he’d never get bored.


End file.
